Dustin's Blog — Beginner Tank

Read Time: 5 mins If you want a killer background aquarium plant with a ton of variety, you'll want to Apono-get on board with these guys (no, I'm not even slightly sorry for that pun). This post will give you info on the background/history of Aponogeton, as well as a care guide and a list of some awesome species to try out in your freshwater planted tank. History/Background of Aponogeton Aponogeton belongs to the Alismatids order of plants, so it's a cousin to plants like taro and snake lilies. In fact, some places use the plants' roots for food. There are...

Read Time: 5 mins Looking for a wicked aquarium plant that grows tall and wavy like seaweed without having to do too much to it?  Say hello to our not so little friend, Val.  History of Vallisneria Vallisneria is a genus of plants named for the Italian scientist Antonio Vallisneri (1661 - 1730), one of the first researchers in Europe to say, "Hey, maybe we should...you know...actually TEST scientific theories and provide evidence with experiments." He made a stir with his contemporaries, and stood tall in his field - so it's an appropriate name for this plant.  Carl Linnaeus, a...

Read Time: 5 mins "LOOK a fish tank!" "Can we go see the fish?!" "IT'S NEMO!" Haven't met a kid yet who saw an aquarium and didn't immediately run over to press their face against the glass and ask me what all the fish's names were. If you're looking for a fun family project, a first pet, a healthy outlet/hobby, a classroom pet, or cool ways to teach and entertain your kids, aquariums are an epic option. We've got some tips and tricks to make it easier.  Freshwater or Saltwater Aquarium? For most families, freshwater is the easiest, most readily...

FAQ's and troubleshooting for aquarium air pumps, air stones, oxygen-producing plants, etc. Read Time: ~10 mins What is dissolved oxygen, anyway, and why do aquarium people keep talking about it?  Brace yourselves for a super technical definition.Dissolved oxygen (DO)...is the amount of atmospheric oxygen dissolved in the water. It's mostly introduced through water surface movement, so a white water rapid will typically have more dissolved oxygen than a still swamp. Why does dissolved oxygen matter in aquariums? Simply put, because your animals and plants need to breathe. It's a common aquarium myth that fish pull oxygen from water molecules when...

Read Time: 8 mins 1. Fish grow to the size of their tanks If you pay attention to nothing else in this article, please understand: this is not how it works. It doesn't work for reptiles or amphibians, either. It doesn't work with any living thing. Imagine if we tried this with other animals."No, we keep our Great Dane in a kennel. He's going to stay the size of a Shi Tzu.""I live in half of a studio apartment. I'm going to stay under 5'3 and my friend who lives in a 3 bedroom is going to be in the NBA."...